Queens elected officials joined members of the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and Douglas Manor Association Thursday, June 23, to celebrate the completion of a $4.9 million stabilization project at Little Neck Bay along Shore Road from West Drive to Bayview Avenue in Douglaston. DOT funded the project while DDC managed it.
Among the officials in attendance were Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, state Senator John Liu, Assemblyman Edward Braunstein and Councilwoman Vickie Paladino. DDT Commissioner Thomas Foley, DOT Queens Borough Commissioner Nicole Garcia and Douglaston Manor Association President Pia Thompson were also on hand.
The project stemmed from a 2018 nor’easter that caused the sea wall below the street to partially collapse. According to DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley, work on it began in June 2021 and was completed in December. In addition to being completed on time, there was still an extra $700,000 left over by the time the project was completed. He said the project’s management team was completely made up of women.
“Today is a testament to how we get things done,” Richards said. “I commend all those who worked on this project for their dedication to stabilizing this important roadway and to protecting our vulnerable shorelines. Any day we invest in our infrastructure, we invest in our future.”
Running along the perimeter of Little Neck Bay in northern Queens, Shore Road was left in imminent danger following the nor’easter in the spring of 2018. The embankment and timber walls supporting the street and the pathway used to maintain the embankment had partially collapsed, leaving it vulnerable to more damage from inclement weather.
Senator Liu made sure to thank former Councilman Paul Vallone and former Douglas Manor Association President Mike Gannon for putting in a lot of effort to ensure this project was done.
“The Shore Road waterfront is a hidden gem in Douglaston, widely enjoyed at all times of the year by both residents and visitors wishing to take in sweeping vistas of Little Neck Bay,” Liu said. “Throughout the pandemic, when construction slowed across the city, my office worked closely with DDC, DOT and the city comptroller to expedite this emergency contract and make sure it remained a priority to the administration. The restored walkway is a wonderful addition to our community that offers both a place for recreation and upgraded infrastructure that will protect against climate change well into the future.
The installation of steel sheets and 40-feet-deep soldier piles helped to stabilize the roadway. Around 700 cubic yards of gabion baskets were also installed at varying elevations to support the embankment and roadway. The 2,550-square-foot walkway along the lower portion of the embankment was restored to once again grant access for workers to maintain the embankment. An additional 900 square feet of roadway was also restored along the embankment.
“Little Neck Bay is an integral part of Douglaston’s rich character and charm, but the neighborhood’s close proximity to the body of water presents certain challenges when it comes to natural wear and tear on its shorelines,” Assemblyman Braunstein said. “The Shore Road project has provided needed stabilization and support and will help keep the coastal roadway and the surrounding embankment structurally sound in the years to come. I thank DDC and DOT for their hard work as we celebrate the project’s completion with the Douglaston community.”
“The members of our community would like to thank DOT for quickly seeing the need for the stabilization of Shore Road after the nor’easter of 2018 and DDC for their sound and aesthetically pleasing solution,” Thompson said. “Shore Road is an important part of the fabric of our community. It was designed in 1906 as our promenade, a place where we can take a leisurely walk and meet neighbors or just reconnect with nature. We also thank our elected officials for their support throughout the project.”
DDC’s in-house design team worked with Hazen and Sawyer in the design process. MFM Contracting Corp. performed the construction while EnTech Engineering, PC provided the engineering work.
